Using FileAssurity
I have imported a key for protection purposes but it is not shown in the 'Protect For' pull-down list box even though it is displayed in the 'Sign As' pull-down list box
FileAssurity uses the AES algorithm for protection at its fullest strength of 256 bits. If the RSA key you have imported is 512 bits in length (or less) it is not long enough to secure the AES protection key, and therefore it cannot be used to protect files. RSA 512 bit keys can be used for signing files so they will appear in the 'Sign As' box. If your personal imported key is not long enough you should use FileAssurity's key generation facilities to generate a 2048 bit personal protection key.
I have imported someone else's key to protect files for them but it is not shown in the 'Protect For' pull-down list box even though I can see it in my keystore
FileAssurity uses the AES algorithm for protection at its fullest strength of 256 bits. If the RSA key you have imported is 512 bits in length (or less) it is not long enough to secure the AES protection key and therefore it cannot be used to protect files. You should ask the person to send you a new key at least 1024 bits in length. They can use FileAssurity to generate a key for this purpose that is 2048 bits in length.
I can't access protected information that I think I have a key for
Make sure the correct access key is actually in your keystore - you may have forgotton to import it. Contact the person who sent you the protected file to make sure they have used the correct key.I have just viewed a protected archive and now I cannot protect new files
You must close the right-hand pane before signing and protecting new files or creating a new archive.
I can't verify a signature on a file
The most likely reason for this is that the file was signed with a key that had been self-generated by the user and had not been issued by a Certificate/Trusted Authority (CA). Check that you have the sender's signature key in your keystore. If you do not then you will be told that the signature is not trusted.
I tried to import a key pair but was told that there are no importable keys, but I could import it with Internet Explorer. Why wonÆt it import?
If you try to import a key pair that is not self-signed (see æwhat are self-signed keysÆ) FileAssurity expects the key pair to have a chain of keys all the way back to the public authority that issued the key pair. If the authority is not already in the recognized list FileAssurity will not import the keys because the public authority is not generally accepted.
This happens when someone is running a private scheme where they do not link their keys to any of the public authorities. You can solve this problem in one of two ways. Either you can ask the private authority to send you their root public key, import it into FileAssurity and then complete the key import. Otherwise you can import the key into Internet Explorer and then export it as a .p7b file, import it into FileAssurity, and then import the individual's key again. (Please note that Internet Explorer does not ætrustÆ this root authority either, but will allow you to import the keys.)
When I go to add keys to Key Manager, the only option I have is to Cancel
If the keys you have selected are invalid for any reason, you will not be able to import them into Key Manager. FileAssurity automatically checks keys as it opens them to ensure that invalid keys are never added to the keystore. A message will be displayed on the Key Import dialog informing you of the reason û for example, æCannot add keys, key chain invalidÆ . The reason may be as simple as that the key already exists in your keystore or that it's expiry date has been reached. The only option is
. A new tab has appeared in my keystore called 'Failed' in which some keys are listed. Why has this occured?
Every time you log on to your keystore, FileAssurity checks that all of the keys in the keystore are still valid. It also performs this process if you click on the
icon in Key Manager. If FileAssurity finds any keys that are no longer valid it will relocate them under the 'Failed' tab. You may or may not want to delete them depending on whether you have files protected using these keys. It is still possible to read files protected with keys that were valid when the files were first protected - the key is shown as invalid but you can check from the date fields that it was valid when it was originally used.I changed my password to 'Password'. The next time I logged onto my keystore I was requested to change it again.
FileAssurity does not let you keep a password of 'Password' as it is seen as insecure. You will be forced to change it to a new one the next time you logon to your keystore.